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Shaka Smart off the market?

One of the top names on UCLA’s coaching search list may be off limits. VCU’s Shaka Smart has been one of the hottest commodities in college basketball since his team’s Final Four run in 2011, but the 35-year-old could be staying in Richmond for the foreseeable future.

Multiple reports today indicate that VCU is working on restructuring Smart’s contract, including increased investment into the Rams program. The news was first reported by Wes McElroy of Richmond’s Sports Radio 910.

Although nothing has been finalized, USA Today reported that the school hopes to reach an agreement with Smart by the end of the week.

Well we need to find someone who wants to come here. If he doesn’t want to come, the it won’t be a good fit.

Bru-Crew_UCLA

I hope he’s “smarter” than that. UCLA is the smart choice, if he is smart. Love the opportunity to lay down the puns. LoL!

BruinInSeattle

why would he? with “fan” sites like BN, who needs enemies?

Marc

True, true, true.

Those guys say things like “LOL, we have no impact on any of that stuff.”, yet they are so sure that their voices are heard far and wide.

Immature fools who make UCLA look bad, if only because they don’t understand critical argument. They snap at dissenters with the zeal and grammar of a fifteen year old. They willfully use ad-hominem attacks and show no value to opposite opinions because of their inability to digest complicated thoughts. They appear to have zero knowledge of any critical thinking skills. That alone makes UCLA look bad; that people can graduate from such a prestigious university and still act like teenagers.

Marc

Some guys might see UCLA as too much of a challenge. The fan base is a little irrational IMO, particularly on a particular “blog” with the initials BN. Also, Pauley is a bit of a screw up. All you have to do is watch a VCU game or a Butler game on ESPN to see the differences in their seating vs Pauley. Pauley seats are too far from the court and they have the blue hair, “sit down and shut up!” crowd in the center, right where the TV cameras show. It is almost laughable that the AD thought those things were good ideas.Also, on the topic of Pauley and re Dan’s comments the other day about half empty Pauley not all on Ben. Yeah, that’s true; part if it (a big part, IMO) is ticket prices. Geeze, it’s practically cheaper to go to a Laker game.

Mark

Finally someone who echoes me on the Pauley situation. Personally I think the renovation is a disaster and a monumental waste of money. Should have done a complete re-build.

Marc

There was a game televised on ESPN late in the season, I want to say it was Arizona State at Pauley. Good ‘ole Bill Walton (the most famous dead head in the world) on the call as the color guy.

The game was immediately after Gonzaga at Butler, I believe. The crowd, the scene, the energy, the whole deal seen at Butler was cut after their big win to an almost empty Pauley with almost zero energy. All right there for the whole world to see on ESPN. It should have been a moment of embarrassment to UCLA’s athletic department. I mean, an utter embarrassment.

Bill Walton made comments to the fact that the lower bowl was half empty. He openly thought UCLA should allow people from higher up move down to create a better atmosphere.

I didn’t get to a game this year. I wanted to, but wasn’t willing to pay their prices for the less than stellar product that was on the floor. I’m a top shelf kind of guy, but the prices were not in line with the quality of entertainment. My entertainment dollars were spent elsewhere.

Mark

Despite having season tickets, I only went to 2 games. The non-conference schedule, as usual, was pitiful, and I couldn’t make the Missouri game. If Guerrero wants people in the seats, then he has to schedule good non-conference games, even if it means going on the road to tough places. And oh by the way, Gonzaga, BYU, and San Diego State would all jump at the chance to come to Pauley. We should play Gonzaga and Sdsu every year. There’s really no reason not to–build up some other West Coast rivalries. Anyway, the Pauley renovation is just awful. There really aren’t that many more restrooms or concessions available. In lot 7 you can’t even park on the top level without paying heaps more money, even if it’s empty. On the inner concourse you can’t complete a full circuit because there is some AV room that needs a view protected. The seats, especially for people of modest means like me, are still miles away. And the crowd in the lower bowl is just dead. The rows are way too long and there isn’t actually that much leg room. I can’t for the life of me understand why Guerrero didn’t find a way to do a complete rebuild. We don’t need a Staples Center in miniature for goodness sakes. A simple, college friendly arena would do the trick. I also have season tickets for SDSU. That is such a great arena, great site lines, no bad seats, and easy to navigate. Just copy it. Oh well, have to wait another 50 years now!

92104bruinfan

Buzz Williams is my next choice if SS is staying put. Buzz is only 40 years old, has five straight 22+ win seasons in his 5 years at Marquette, five consecutive NCAA tourney appearances including 3 straight Sweet 16s, and steady regular season improvement in Big East play culminating with shared regular season title this past season. BW had zero ties to Big East and Marquette before taking over after Tom Crean bailed to IU yet has recruited well and employs a system that obviously works.

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